ABOUT
INSPIRING EMPATHY AND A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US
Jack Schnepf creates work that translates the unseen layers of life, the complexity of human experience, and the subtle rhythms of the world around us. His art invites reflection, connection and moments of recognition, offering viewers the chance to see and feel differently. More than a practice or career, his work is a mission to inspire thought, dialogue and meaningful change.
"Through relinquishing what I once clung to and surrendering to what is, I discovered a life of gratitude, freedom, and beauty."
For Jack Schnepf, art was born out of necessity. In eighth grade, he endured months of severe illness, struggling daily and spending frequent nights in and out of the hospital. During that time, he discovered that creating offered a way to navigate and make sense of an uncertain world. It was never simply a pastime, but a practice that allowed him to process, reflect, and regain a sense of control when life felt fragile. From these early experiences, art evolved into a vehicle for understanding and translating complex human experience, moving from personal expressions toward empathy and connection with others.
"I understand the world better by creating, Offering the work as a space for shared reflection and connection"
Jack Schnepf’s work refuses to be confined to a single subject or style. It flows effortlessly, moving from explorations of personal experience to investigations in scientific research, from observations of the natural world to immersive abstract compositions. Each piece carries a thread of curiosity, insight, and emotional resonance, allowing the work to act as a bridge between his perception and the viewer’s experience. The work becomes a conversation, inviting those who encounter it to reflect, engage, and find understanding beyond words.
Explorations of Personal Experience
For Jack, this side of his work is not just art but a living reflection of his story. Each piece forms part of a broader narrative of growth, reconciliation, and healing, expressions of the freedom that emerges when past experiences are faced and transformed. Guided by curiosity and a search for truth, this body of work reaches beyond the self, shaped by the shared human experience that connects us all. Through this process, the personal becomes universal, offering viewers a quiet space to reflect on their own journey toward understanding and peace..
BEYOND PERSONAL TRANSLATION
Through translating complex personal experiences into works that inspire empathy, Jack discovered the power of art as a tool for understanding the intricate and unseen. This Realization led him to explore collaborations in spaces of research and advanced technology, including his residency at QCORE.
*QCORE is Montana State University's Quantum Computing Research Initiative in Bozeman, Montana.
QCORE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE, BOZEMAN
2025
Observations of the World Around Us
In his work with wildlife and nature, Jack seeks to reveal the emotional and spiritual threads that connect all living things. Through his eyes, animals are not subjects to be observed but mirrors of our own humanity, reflections of empathy, instinct, and grace. These works invite viewers to see the world not as something separate from us, but as a shared pulse of life, reminding us of our place within a greater whole.
* pictured is "Watchful Eye", which is currently on display for sale through Provincial Store Fixtures in the Big Sky town center.
"Watchful Eye", Venetian Plaster, Coffee and Acrylic
2024
BEYOND FORM
Jack’s abstract works move beyond words, offering a space to experience emotion, energy, and presence in their purest form. Each piece captures an inner state, moments of stillness, release, and transcendence, where meaning is felt rather than explained. The more time a viewer spends with the work, the more it reveals, offering new perspectives and deepening the connection with each encounter. These works invite intuition and reflection, allowing understanding to emerge through direct engagement and sustained attention.
"Ancient Field " , Charcoal and Acrylic
2025
Education
2025 BFA, Studio Art, summa cum laude, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
2024 Study Abroad, Fine and Studio Arts, MADE Program, Accademia di Belle Arti "Rosario Gagliardi," Siracusa, Italy
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Awards and Honors
2026 Richard Helzer Bronze Pencil Award, School of Art, Montana State University
2025 Honorable Mention, Sweet Pea Festival Art Show, Bozeman, MT
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Residencies
2025–2026 Founding Artist-in-Residence, QCORE, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
2026–present Founding Artist-in-Residence, Catalyst, MSU Innovation Campus, Bozeman, MT
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Permanent and Public Works
2026 Into the Storm, QCORE, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
2025 The Shape of Uncertainty, QCORE, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
2024 Syramural, collaborative mural with MADE Academy, Stadio Nicola De Simone, Siracusa, Italy
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Live Performance
2026 Entangled Frequency, live painting with the Bozeman Symphony, "Sounds of America III: Appalachian Spring," Willson Auditorium, Bozeman, MT
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Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
2026 Verge Theater, Emerson, Bozeman, MT
2025 EngineWorks, MSU Innovation Campus, Bozeman, MT
2025 Provincial Store Fixtures, Big Sky, MT
2025 Human/Nature (with Emma Bergman), Zoot Gallery, Four Corners, MT
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Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 Art + Science Kickoff Exhibition, EngineWorks, Bozeman, MT
2026 Montana State University Research Celebration, Bozeman, MT
2025, 2026 Big Sky Art Auction (juried), Arts Council of Big Sky, Montage, Big Sky, MT
2025 New Frontiers (juried), Bozeman Art Museum, Bozeman, MT
2025 Plein Air Montana, Bozeman Art Museum, Bozeman, MT
2025 QCORE Opening Exhibition, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
2025 Sweet Pea Festival Art Show (juried), Bozeman Public Library, Bozeman, MT
2025 Fall Undergraduate Thesis Exhibition, Helen E. Copeland Gallery, Bozeman, MT
2025 Beyond Reality (juried), Livingston Center for Art and Culture, Livingston, MT
2024 Cyanotype Show, MADE Academy, Siracusa, Italy
2024 Anthropocene (juried), Livingston Center for Art and Culture, Livingston, MT
2024 Looks Good On Paper (juried), Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
2024 Form to Freedom, Waller-Yoblonski Gallery, Bozeman, MT
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Talks
2026 "Language of Discovery," keynote, Art + Science Kickoff, QCORE and MSU Office of Research and Economic Development, Bozeman, MT
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Appointments
2026–present Director, Center for the Communication of Science, Montana State University
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Service
2025–present National Advisory Council, Bozeman Art Museum